Chase Sprint | Friends | WorkOnFitness

Quick Intro

Chase Sprint is a race with a head start. The lead partner stands a marked distance ahead of the chaser, both facing the same finish line. On a shared “go”, both sprint. The chaser wins if they pass the lead partner before the line, and the lead partner wins if they cross first. When one partner is clearly faster, the slower partner always leads, since a slower chaser can never pass a faster runner. Partners of about the same speed swap roles after each race.

Sprinting well, driving the knees and arms hard and staying tall with quick contacts on the balls of the feet, is covered at Sprinting. This guide is about the race: setting the head start, keeping each runner in their own line and recovering between efforts.

What You’ll Need

A long, clear, flat lane, ideally a track or a sports field. Thirty to fifty metres of running space plus room to slow down.
Cones for the chaser’s start, the lead partner’s start and the finish.
A third person to call “go” and watch the finish, if available.

How to Play

Agree the race distance and the head start.
Mark the chaser’s start line. Mark the lead partner’s start the agreed distance in front of it.
Both stand at their own marks, facing the finish, in a standing start.
On “go”, both sprint.
If the chaser passes the lead partner before the line, the chaser wins. If the lead partner crosses first, they win.
Walk back slowly and rest fully before the next race.
If you are evenly matched and swapping roles, play an even number of races so both people have the same number of chases.

What Counts

A pass means the chaser’s chest is ahead of the lead partner’s chest before the finish line.
Draws at the line go to the lead partner, since the chaser has to get past.
Same start call for both. Neither runner starts early.

A third person at the finish line makes close calls easy. Without one, agree that a dead heat goes to the lead partner.

The Head Start Decides the Race

The head start is the whole fairness system, and it needs to be honest. If it is too large, the chaser has no chance and stops trying. If it is too small, the lead partner is caught every time. Set it from real speed, not guesswork. Time each partner over the race distance first, then use the gap. A difference of half a second over 30 metres means roughly three to four metres, and a head start a little under that gives the chaser a real chance of passing near the line.

After a few races, adjust. If one partner wins every time, move the lead mark.

Making It Fair

Who leads depends on the speed gap. A chaser only gains ground if they are faster, so when one partner is clearly quicker, the slower partner leads every race and the head start is set so the faster chaser catches them near the line about half the time. That gives a pair of very different speeds a real contest. Partners within about a tenth of a second of each other can swap roles every race with a head start of a metre or two, since each then gets the same number of turns in front. For more on setting handicaps that both partners trust, see Training With a Friend.

Staying Safe

Stay in your own line. Each runner keeps to their own path, about two metres apart. No blocking, no grabbing and no cutting across.
A long, clear lane with room past the finish to slow down safely.
Full warm-up. Include some build-up sprints. Cold hamstrings and sudden maximal sprints are a common cause of strains.
Full recovery between races. Two to four minutes of walking. Sprinting tired is where injuries happen.
Stop for any tightness in the back of the thigh.

Common Mistakes

A head start set by guesswork. Time it first.
Looking back. The lead partner loses speed glancing over their shoulder. Eyes forward.
Easing off before the line. Run through the finish.
Short rest. It turns a speed race into a fatigue test, and form suffers.

Fitting It Into a Session

Put the chase early in a session, after a thorough warm-up, while the legs are fresh. Four to six races is enough. Strength work can follow. For more on session planning, see Building a Partner Session.

Getting Better Over Time

Keep track of the head start that makes the race close. If it shrinks over time, the slower partner is catching up.

Partner-Resisted Sprint adds a partner holding back on a band or towel.
Sprint Rematch Gamble turns repeated sprints into a wager.
Freeze Call Sprint stops and starts on a called signal.
Sled Drag Sprint Race races with a sled behind each runner.

FAQ

How big should the head start be?

Base it on a timed run of each partner over the race distance. Each tenth of a second of difference is worth roughly 70 to 80 centimetres at sprint speed.

How far should we race?

Thirty to fifty metres is ideal. Shorter races give the chaser too little room to catch up.

What if the chaser always wins?

Increase the head start by a metre or two until the races are close.

Can we swap roles if one of us is much faster?

Not with a head start. When the slower partner chases a faster one, the gap only grows, so the slower partner keeps the lead role. Partners of similar speed can swap every race.